Shelf unit



Nov. 9, 1965 w, G, ANDERS 3,216,587

SHELF UNIT Filed Aug. l5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1965 w. G.ANDERS 3,216,587

SHELF UNIT Filed Aug. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Afro/eA/Ey United StatesPatent O 3,216,587 SHELF UNIT Walter G. Anders, Kenmore, N.Y., assignorto Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Aug. 1S, 1963, Ser. No. 302,365 Claims. (Cl. 211-184) The presentinvention relates to new and useful improvements in shelf units and moreparticularly to divider panels that are yused therein to divide a shelfunit into a selected number of compartments.

Shelf units which employ vertically disposed divider panels at spacedintervals along a horizontal shelf portion of the unit to provide aplurality of compartments along the shelf are well known. Variousarticles or material as for example, le folders, and books or the like,are stored in the compartments. The number of dividers and compartmentsformed thereby is optional according to the needs of the user and thewidth of the compartments may be varied by providing means for shiftingthe dividers to different positions on the shelf.

Certain shelf units of this type in addition to having a horizontalshelf portion, also includes a horizontal top panel and spaced verticalend walls. Shelf units of the latter type are open at the front and rearthereof whereby material stored in the compartments is readilyaccessible to a user from either the front or rear of the shelf. Variousmeans such as screws, pins or lugs have been used in the past to attacha divider to the shelf and top panel of a shelf unit of the latter type.In addition, various locking devices extrinsic to the divider have beenused to lock the divider to the shelf of the unit to prevent accidentaldislodgement of the divider. The latter devices and arrangements resultin complicated forming of dividers and which dividers are not readilyrepositionable on the shelf.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shelf unit of novelconstruction.

Another object is to provide a novel shelf unit having a divider whichmay be readily repositioned along the shelf of the unit.

A further object is to provide a divider of novel construction and whichdivider is formed with integral means for locking the divider to a shelfunit.

A still further object is to provide a novel and economical dividerwhich is easily mounted on and locked to a shelf and which divider maybe readily unlocked and repositioned along the shelf.

The present invention contemplates in one embodiment thereof, a shelfunit which includes a horizontally disposed shelf or base panel and ahorizontally disposed top panel which is vertically spaced from the basepanel. The base and top panels are each provided with rows of alignedmounting slots. Vertically disposed sheetlike dividers having tabsformed on opposite edges are mounted at spaced intervals on the unitwith the tabs inserted in at least a pair of aligned slots in the shelfand top panel. A resilient locking finger is formed on each divider andwhich finger is bent away from the surface of the divider to lieadjacent the bottom surface of the top panel to lock the divider to theshelf unit. A divider is readily removed from the shelf throughdepression of the locking finger into alignment with adjacent tabprojections on the top edge of the divider and then raising and pivotingthe divider out of the mounting slots.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed descriptiontaken together with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment ofthe invention is illustrated.

3,2l,587 Patented Nov.. 9, 1965 In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a shelf unit embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the shelf unit of FIG. 1 with partof the unit broken away to show portions of a divider in locked positionon the shelf unit;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of portions of the shelfunit showing a divider in a raised posi tion and disengaged from thebase panel during positioning thereof on the shelf unit; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 wherein the divider is pivoted fromthe position of FIG. 4 to an inclined position relative to the top panelduring removal of the divider from the shelf unit.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of thepresent invention and more particularly of FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein onepreferred embodiment is clearly illustrated, a shelf unit is generallydesignated by the numeral 10. Shelf unit 10 is formed from sheet metalmaterial and includes a horizontal base panel or shelf portion 11 onwhich may be stored various articles (not shown) which may include amongothers, articles such material as, le folders, books or the like. Shelf11 is supported by and between a pair of spaced vertical end walls 12and 13, respectively (FIG. 2). End walls 12 and 13 are each providedwith flange portions 14 (partially shown in FIG. 2) and which flangeportions 14 are suitably secured to the opposite ends of shelf 11 in anysuitable manner as by spotwelding. A top wall or upper horizontal panel15 (FIG. 1) having inturned marginal portions 16 and 17, respectively,along the front and rear edges thereof is provided for shelf unit 10.The spaced opposite ends o-f top panel 15 are secured to flange portions18 (partially shown in FIG. 2) of each end wall 12 and 13 in :anysuitable manner such as -by welding.

An inverted elongated U-shaped reinforcing member 19 is secured to thetop surface (FIG. 1) of top panel 15 intermediate front and reearmarginal portions 16 and 17 thereof. A pair of U-shaped longitudinallyextending reinforcing members 20 and 21 are arranged beneath shelf 11(FIG. 1) adjacent the front and rear edges of shelf 11. Member 20 isprovided with a pair of flange portions 22 and 23 which extend at rightangles from member 20 and which flange portion 22 and 23 are secured tothe bottom surface of shelf 11 as by welding. An upright lip 24 isprovided on ange portion 22 of member 20 and Which lip 24 projects aboveand extends along the front edge of shelf 11 (FIG. l). Member 21 isprovided with a similar pair of flange portions 25 and 26 secured to thebottom of shelf 11 with a lip 27 provided on flange portion 26 whichprojects above and extends along the rear edge of shelf 11. Lips 24 and27 serve to prevent articles from moving olf the front and rear edges ofshelf 11.

Shelf unit 10, as described, is well adapted for use with an automatedle unit such as a conveyor driven file unit (not shown). It is to beunderstood, however, that the present invention, which is to behereinafter fully described and as will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art is readily adaptable to other type shelf units suchas stationary bookstacks or the like.

As seen in FIG. l a row of laterally spaced rectangular shaped mountingslots or apertures 28 is provided along the front of shelf 11 and whichslots 28 are spaced from and extend in a direction normal to lip 24. Asecond row of laterally spaced apertures of mounting slots 29 isprovided along the rear of Ishelf 11 and which slots 29 are spaced fromand extend in a direction normal t-o lip 27. Each lslot 29 of the rearrow is arranged to be in alignment with a slot 28 of the front row. Toppanel 15 (FIG. 1) is provided with a single row of laterally spacedelongated mounting slots or apertures 30 of rectangular configurationintermediate marginal portions 16 and 17. Each slot 30 is in verticalalignment with a pair of aligned slots 28 and 29 in shelf 11, whereby animaginary plane drawn to intersect ltop panel 15 and panel 11 at rightangles contains a slot 30 and an associated pair of slots 28 and 29.

As seen in FIG. 2, a plurality of vertically arranged sheet-like dividerpanels 31 of sheet me-tal material are mounted on shelf unit at spacedintervals along shelf 11. Dividers 31 form a plurality of compartments32 on shelf 11 and in which compartments 32 various articles (not shown)may be stored on shelf 11. A pair of spaced downwardly extending tabprojections 33 (FIGS. 1 and 3) are provided at the bottom edge of eachdivider 31 and are accommodated in a pair of aligned slots 28- and 29 inshelf 11. A second pair of tab projections 34 are formed at the top edge31A (FIG. 3) of each divider 31 and which tabs 34 are accommodatedWithin and project through its associated elongated mounting slots 30 intop panel 15 and which slot 30 is in vertical alignment with the slots28 and 29 in which tabs 33 of the divider 31 are disposed. T-op edge 31A(FIG. 3) of divider 31 adjacent tabs 34 is formed so as to be spaced agiven distance from the bottom of -panel 15 for purposes to behereinafter eX- plained. A resilient locking finger 35 is formed in thetop of each divider 31 intermediate the pair of tab projections 34thereon and which linger 35 is normally bent away from tabs 34 and thesurface of divider 31 whereby the top edge of finger 35 (FIG. 2) liesclosely adjacent the bottom of top panel 15 intermediate a pair ofadjacent slots 30 (FIG. 2). Dividers 31 are thereby securely mounted onshelf unit 10 with the side walls of slots 28, 29 and 30 preventinglateral movement of tabs 33 and 34. Similarly, locking finger in itsbent position is arranged to engage the bottom of top panel 15 torestrain such upward vertical movement of divider 31 to preventdisengagement of tabs 33 from slots 28 and 29.

In the described arrangement, let it be assumed that a user desires toexpand or reduce the lateral width of a vselected compartment 32. Thisis accomplished by repositioning of a divider 31. Firstly, the usergrasps divider 31 and applies finger pressure to locking linger 35 withhis thumb in the direction of the arrow designated A in FIG. 4 to alignlocking linger 35 with tab projections 34. Divider 31 is then movedupwardly so that locking finger 35 enters slot 30, and movement ofdivider 31 continued until tabs 33 are disengaged from or raised out ofmounting slots 28 and 29 (FIG. 4). It will be understood that thedistance between edge 31A and the bottom surface of panel 15 as seen inFIG. 3 is greater than the distance between edge Y and the edge 33A oftab 33 to permit tabs 33 to be disengaged from slots 28 and 29 when thedivider 31 is raised as described heretofore. Divider d31 is then swungto the right to the position shown in FIG. 5 by pivoting linger 35 andtabs 34 against the side walls of slot 30. In pivoted position (FIG. 5)divider 31 is then moved in the directionof the arrow designated Bwhereby tabs 34 and finger 35 are moved downwardly to disengage slot 30to release divider 31 from shelf unit 10.

Let it be assumed that it is then desired to reinsert the divider 31 ina diiferent set of aligned slots 28, 29 and 30 'on shelf unit 10. Insuch event, divider 31 is mounted following a procedure reverse to thedescribed manner in which divider 31 was removed from shelf unit 10. Theuser grasps divider 31 and depresses locking linger 35 with his thumbinto alignment with ltabs 34 and inserts locking linger 35 and tabs 34at an angle (as seen in FIG. 5) into a selected slot 30 in top panel 15until edge 31A engages the bottom of panel 15. Divider 31 is thenpivoted to the left (looking at FIG. 5) to the position shown in FIG. 4,and in which position divider 31 lies in a plane normal to shelf 11 withtabs 33 thereof in alignment with a pair of aligned slots 28 and 29 inshelf 11. Divider is then released or moved downwardly allowing tabs 33to drop into slots 28 and 29. In moving downwardly a sutiicient distanceresilient locking nger 35 becomes disengaged from 4the side walls ofslot 30 as tabs 33 enter slots 28 and 29 and linger 35 springs to theleft (FIG. 2) beneath the bottom of top panel 15. In such positionlinger 35 is prevented from accidentally reentering slot 30.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the novel shelfunit and divider arrangement des-cribed has many advantages in use. Oneadvantage of divider 31 as described is that it is provided with anintegral resilient locking member 35 which :results in an economical onepiece construction wherein the divider and locking member are stampedfrom the same piece sheet metal material. Another advantage is thatdivider 31 is readily mounted on or removed from a shelf unit with aminimum a'mount of effort.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustratedand described in detail it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in thedesign and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as the same will now be understood to thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shelf unit of the class described,

(a) a first panel having a row of laterally spaced apertures,

(b) a second panel arranged in a plane spaced from and parallel t0 saidirst panel and having a row of laterally spaced apertures, each arrangedto lie in an imaginary plane intersecting said first and said secondpanels and containing an aperture of said rst panel,

(c) a sheet-like divider arranged between said first and second panelsand having opposite edges disposed in a plane intersecting each of saidpanels at right angles,

(d) spaced tab projections provided on said spaced op posite edges ofsaid divider and each tab projection disposed in an aperture of anassociated pair of apertures of said first and second panels containedwithin one of said imaginary planes, and

(e) resilient locking means formed on said divider projecting outwardlyof said one imaginary plane to lie adjacent the surface of one of saidpanels to prevent disengagement of said tab projections from said onepair of associated apertures.

2. In a shelf unit of the class described,

(a) a horizontal shelf panel having spaced rst and second rows oflaterally spaced and aligned apertures,

(b) a horizontal top panel arranged in a plane spaced vertically fromand parallel to said shelf panel,

(c) said top panel having a row of laterally spaced elongated apertureseach arranged to lie in an imaginary plane intersecting said shelf andtop panels and containing a pair of apertures in said rst and secondrows of said shelf panel,

(d) a sheet-like divider arranged between said panels and having tabprojections formed thereon disposed in apertures of said shelf and toppanel contained within one of said imaginary planes, and

(e) resilient locking means on said divider projecting outwardly of saidone imaginary plane to lie adjacent a surface of one of said panels toprevent disengagement of tab projections from said apertures.

3. The shelf unit of claim 2 wherein said divider is provided with aspaced pair of said tab projections on the top edge thereof and a spacedpair of said tab projections on the bottom edge thereof, said tabs onthe bottom edge thereof each inserted in the pair of apertures of saidirst and second rows of said shelf panel lying within said one imaginaryplane and each of said 3,216,587 5 6 spaced pair of said tab projections-on said top edge inserted elongated mounting slots each arranged in animagh in the one aperture of said top panel lying Within said one inaryvertical plane intersecting said top panel and imaginary plane. shelfpanel at right angles and containing a mount- 4. In a shelf unit of theclass described,

(a) a horizontal shelf panel lhaving spaced first and second rows oflaterally spaced apertures,

(b) a horizontal top panel arranged in a plane spaced vertically fromand parallel to said shelf panel,

(c) said top panel having a row of laterally spaced ing slot in saidfirst row and a mounting slot in said second row of said shelf panel,

(d) a detachable sheet-like divider disposed in one of said imaginaryplanes,

(e) spaced tabs provided on the bottom edge of said divider and eachinserted in a slot of said first and apertures each arranged to lie inan imaginary plane 10 SeCOIld TOW Of SieS 0f Said Shelf Panel lying inSaid intersecting said shelf and top panels at right angles oneimaginary plane,

and containing an aperture in said trst row and (f) spaced tabs Provided011 file OP edge 0f Said dian aperture in said Second row of said shelfpanel, vider and inserted in the slot of said top panel lying (d) avertically disposed divider member arranged in iIl S'did One imaginaryPiane, and

one of said imaginary planes and having a pair of tab 15 (E) a resilientfinger member fermed 011 Said divider projections on one edge thereofinserted in said aperintermediate said spaced tabs on said top edgetheretures of said shelf panel and having tab projections of projectingoutwardly of said imaginary plane to on the opposite edge thereofinserted in the aperture lie adjacent the Surface of Said top panel toprevent of said top panel contained in said one imaginary disengagementof said tab projections from said plane, and 2O mounting slots.

(e) resilient locking means formed on said divider projecting outwardlyof said imaginary plane to lie adjacent the surface of said top panel toprevent disengagement of said tab projections from said aper- ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS (b) a horizontal top panelarranged in a plane spaced vertically from and parallel to said shelfpanel, (c) said top panel having a row of laterally spaced 30 FRANK B.SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

1. IN A SHELF UNIT OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, (A) A FIRST PANEL HAVING AROW OF LATERALLY SPACED APERTURES, (B) A SECOND PANEL ARRANGED IN APLANE SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST PANEL AND HAVING A ROW OFLATERALLY SPACED APERTURES, EACH ARRANGED TO LIE IN AN IMAGINARY PLANEINTERSECTING SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND PANELS AND CONTAINING ANAPERTURE OF SAID FIRST PANEL, (C) A SHEET-LIKE DIVIDER ARRANGED BETWEENSAID FIRST AND SECOND PANELS AND HAVING OPPOSITE EDGES DISPOSED IN APLANE INTERSECTING EACH OF SAID PANELS AT RIGHT ANGLES, (D) SPACED TABPROJECTIONS PROVIDED ON SAID SPACED OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID DIVIDER ANDEACH TAB PROJECTION DISPOSED IN AN APERTURE OF AN ASSOCIATED PAIR OFAPERTURES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PANELS CONTAINED WITHIN ONE OF SAIDIMAGINARY PLANES, AND (E) RESILIENT LOCKING MEANS FORMED ON SAID DIVIDERPROJECTING OUTWADLY OF SAID ONE IMAGINARY PLANE TO LIE ADJACENT THESURFACE OF ONE OF SAID PANELS TO PREVENT DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID TABPROJECTIONS FROM SAID ONE PAIR OF ASSOCIATED APERTURES.